Sailing vessel

ABSTRACT

A trimaran type of sailboat is provided wherein the two outrigger hulls are resiliently and pivotally connected to the bow and stern respectively of the central hull in such a way as to permit the central hull to heel under the force of the wind much as an ordinary sailboat.

I Unlted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,881,440 Mason 1 1 May 6, 1975 SAILING VESSEL 2,119,775 6/1938 Chase 114 61 3,002,484 10/1961 Dube 114 123 [76] Inventor- 3,232,261 2/l966 Graig 114/123 Wakefield 02380 3,702,106 11 1972 114/123 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix [2]] Appl' 397969 Assistant Examiner-Stuart M. Goldstein Related [1.8. Application Data Attorney, Agent, or FirmW. R. Hulbert [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 183,357, Sept 24, l97l abandoned. 521 U.S. c1. 114/123 A trimaran p of sailboat is Provided wherein the 51 1m. (:1 B63b 43/14 two Outrigger hulls are resiliently and Pivotally [58] Field 61 Search 114/121, 123, 124, 61 nected to the bow and Stem respectively Of the central hull in such a way as to permit the central hull to heel 5 References Cited under the force of the wind much as an ordinary sail- UNITED STATES PATENTS 67,846 8/1867 Cayce 114/123 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMAY' 81975 3881 A40 saw 10F 2 22 FIG I FIG 2 PNENTEUHAY SIBTS 3,881,440

SHEET 2 BF 2 52 0 FIG 3 360 FIG 6 SAILING VESSEL This is a continuation-impart of my application Ser. No. 183,357, filed Sept. 24, 1971, now abandoned.

This invention relates to trimaran sailboats.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a sailboat both faster and more stable than the fastest single hulled sailboats. An additional object is to provide a trimaran sailboat of speed equal to trimarans of the conventional rigid connection of the three hulls to each other which also possesses a greatly increased stability at large angles of heel and wherein the stabilizing effect of the leeward hull can be adjusted.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved stability and speed through increased compliance of the outrigger hulls to various wave forms and actions.

In accordance with the invention there is provided, in a water-going vessel having a central hull, two outrigger hulls and means connecting the hulls to each other permitting the central hull to heel to the wind with respect to the outrigger hulls about a longitudinal axis, the improvement which comprises resilient means acting between the central hull and the outrigger hulls yieldingly to resist heeling movement of the central hull. Further in accordance with the invention, there are provided stop means for limiting the heeling movement of the central hull and the resilient means is so disposed and arranged as to provide increased resistance to heeling movement of the central hull as the angle of heel increases. In accordance with one form of the invention, the means connecting the bulls to each other includes rigid connecting members extending between the two outrigger hulls, a rigid rod extending forwardly of the bow of the central hull and another rigid rod extending aft of such hull, both rods being rigidly connected to the central hull so as to pivot therewith, the other ends of such rods being journaled in the rigid connecting members to permit pivotal movement of the central hull. In this form of the invention preferably the resilient means takes the form of springs acting between the rigid rods and the connecting members which springs may be coil springs surrounding the rods.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken together with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trimaran sailboat constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view on an enlarged scale of the stern mounting device for the central hull of the sailboat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar view of the bow mounting device;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the mounting device of FIG. 3 illustrating the pivotal limits permitted thereby;

FIG. 5 is a plan view on a somewhat reduced scale as compared with FIG. 3 of the mounting .device of FIG. 3 in its neutral configuration; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the relative rotation between portions of the mounting device when the central hull heels in one direction.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. l-6, a trimaran sailboat is shown which comprises central hull l and outrigger hulls l2 and 14. The outrigger hulls are rigidly secured to each other at both ends by transverse rods or beams 16 and 18. Central hull I0 is secured to the unit formed by outrigger hulls l2, l4 and rods 16,

18 by means of fore mounting device 20 and aft mounting device 22. For convenience, the invention is illustrated as applied to a relatively small vessel, but it will be understood that it is applicable to trimarans of any size.

The details of aft mounting device 22 are shown in FIG. 2. Mounting bracket 24 is secured to the transom of central hull 10 by means of bolts or screws (not shown) inserted through openings 26. A rod 28 is rigidly secured to the bracket 24, as by welding at 30. Rod 28 projects aft from the bracket 24 in a direction approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of hull l0 and has its outer portion supported in journal 32 which has an interior bearing element 34. The extreme outer end of rod 28 is threaded as at 36 and receives nut 38. Journal 32 is rigidly secured to transverse beam 18 as by welding at 40. Stops 42 project from the rear surface of journal 32 and cooperate, as described more fully below, with post 44 projecting from rod 28 outside journal 32 and nut 38 to limit pivotal movement of rod 28 and hull 10. Spring 46 is loosely coiled about rod 28 and has its ends attached, respectively, to journal 32 and member 48 secured to rod 28 by means of set screw 50.

Fore mounting means 20 are illustrated in FIGS. 3-6 and are essentially the same as means 22 but for the shape of mounting bracket in the form of a yoke 52 which embraces and is suitable for attachment to the bow of central hull 10. In these figures, therefore, similar parts with similar functions have been given the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 with an *a suffix.

In operation, central hull 10 with brackets 24 and 52 and rods 28 and 28a affixed thereto is joined to the outrigger unit by inserting the rods into the respective journals 32, 32a. Nuts 38, 38a and posts 44, 44a are then mounted upon the rods 28, 28a. Springs 46, 46a, previously attached at one end to journals 32, 32a, are then attached at the other ends to posts 54, 54a which project from members 48, 480. With posts 44, 44a

standing vertically and equidistant from the respective pair of stops 42, 42a, springs 46, 46a are fixed in suitable position for locking members 48, 48a to rods 28, 28a by means of set screws 50, 50a.

With the arrangement as described, therefore, it is clear that the central hull 10 is mounted so as to heel with the wind against the resistance of springs 46, 46a. The further central hull heels the more resistance it presents to the heeling force of the wind since, as springs 46, 46a are twisted further from their preset condition, the rotational restoring force which they exert upon hull 10 is increased. Posts 44, 44a cooperate with symmetrically placed stops 42, 42a to provide limits on the pivotal movement of central hull 10, in either direction, with respect to the rigid outrigger unit. This is illustrated with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 5 post 440 is centrally spaced between stops 42a and thus spring 46a is in its preset configuration and the central hull 10 is in its equilibrium position. In FIG. 6, post 44a has rotated clockwise along the rod 280 and is now adjacent the rightmost stop 42a. The spring 460 is now in a stressed condition and is exerting a restorative counterclockwise force upon member 48a and ultimately upon central hull 10.

It will be apparent that the outrigger hulls may com prise hydrofoils instead of, or in addition to, floats as shown in the drawings. Furthermore, the central hull of the trimaran clearly need not be a true sailboat but may be suitably modified as desired.

Other embodiments of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a trimaran having a central hull, two outrigger hulls and means connecting said hulls to each other to permit pivotal movement of the central hull about its longitudinal axis relative to said outrigger hulls so as to heel to the wind with respect to said outrigger hulls in the manner of a single hull sailing vessel, the improvement wherein:

said connecting means comprise relatively rigid connecting members pivoted to fore and aft portions of the central hull and extending between the central hull and each outrigger hull and including resilient means acting between the central hull and said rigid connecting members arranged to resist heeling motion of said central hull in either direction and exert a restorative force which increases with the degree of heeling motion of said hull, and said connecting means including longitudinal rigid rods, one of which extends forwardly of the bow of the central hull and the other of which extends aft of the stern of the central hull and both of which are rigidly connected to the central hull so as to pivot therewith and which are further journaled in said rigid connecting members, and wherein said resilient means comprise springs acting between said rigid rods and said rigid connecting members. 2. The combination of claim 1 including stops associated with said springs and rigid rods and rigid connecting members for limiting pivotal movement of said rods and thereby the heeling of said central hull.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said springs comprise coil springs surrounding said rods.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said prestressing means comprises a member adjustably mounted on each of said rods to which one end of each of said springs is affixed. 

1. In a trimaran having a central hull, two outrigger hulls and means connecting said hulls to each other to permit pivotal movement of the central hull about its longitudinal axis relative to said outrigger hulls so as to heel to the wind with respect to said outrigger hulls in the manner of a single hull sailing vessel, the improvement wherein: said connecting means comprise relatively rigid connecting members pivoted to fore and aft portions of the central hull and extending between the central hull and each outrigger hull and including resilient means acting between the central hull and said rigid connecting members arranged to resist heeling motion of said central hull in either direction and exert a restorative force which increases with the degree of heeling motion of said hull, and said connecting means including longitudinal rigid rods, one of which extends forwardly of the bow of the central hull and the other of which extends aft of the stern of the central hull and both of which are rigidly connected to the central hull so as to pivot therewith and which are further journaled in said rigid connecting members, and wherein said resilient means comprise springs acting between said rigid rods and said rigid connecting members.
 2. The combination of claim 1 including stops associated with said springs and rigid rods and rigid connecting members for limiting pivotal movement of said rods and thereby the heeling of said central hull.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said springs comprise coil springs surrounding said rods.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said prestressing means comprises a member adjustably mounted on each of said rods to which one end of each of said springs is affixed. 